The Relationship between Antepartum Symptoms Experienced by Pregnant Women and Risk Perception During Pregnancy

Creative Commons License

AKSÖZ N., DAĞLAR G.

Journal of Midwifery and Health Sciences, cilt.9, sa.3, ss.234-243, 2026 (Scopus, TRDizin)

Özet

Objective: To evaluate the relationship between antepartum symptoms experienced by pregnant women and risk perception during pregnancy. Methods: The study was cross-sectional descriptive. The sample consisted of 615 pregnant women who applied to Sivas Numune Hospital for healthy pregnancy follow-up between the 9th and 40th gestational weeks between 01.10.2020-31.01.2021. Data were collected with Personal Information Form, Pregnancy Symptom Inventory (PSI) and Pregnancy Risk Perception Scale (PRPS). Analyses included descriptive statistics, independent-samples t-tests, one-way ANOVA, chi-square tests, and Pearson correlation analysis. Results: The mean gestational week of the pregnant women was 22.18±9.42. The mean total score of PSI symptom frequency was 39.85±16.57 and the mean total score of symptoms restricting daily activities was 54.28±9.55. The mean total score of the PRPS was 2.71±1.69; the mean score of risk perception towards the baby was 2.49±1.92; and the mean score of risk perception towards oneself was 2.99±1.82. Symptom frequency was weakly and positively correlated with overall risk perception (r=0.150, p<.001), fetal risk perception (r=0.116, p=.004), and maternal risk perception (r=0.164, p<.001). Daily activity limitations also showed weak positive correlations with overall risk perception (r=0.204), fetal risk perception (r=0.165), and maternal risk perception (r=0.211; all p<.001). Conclusion: Pregnant women's overall risk perception and risk perception toward the unborn child and themselves both rise in tandem with the symptoms they endure and the limitations they place on their day-to-day activities.